There's other interesting stuff at the first link, including Obama's disrespect for Romney — who stands for “nothing” — and his fear that Romney will get to "take credit when the economy turns around." There's also a lot of fairly generic material about the troubles in the Obama campaign. Axelrod got mad at Stephanie Cutter. An internal polls showed people don't like hearing from Debbie Wasserman Schultz. That sort of thing.

What I found interesting is that the reason for Obama's disrespect of Romney was that he was "not some kind of war hero". I think, deep in Obama's self, there might be a feeling that if someone does not give time to the government, or make a sacrifice to the government, they are not worthy of respect. That making a go of it in business is not a worthwhile endeavor.

It's just a thought, given the tenor of Obama's excursions off message that seem to get him into trouble.

Obama is a nasty man and that will come out as the campaign goes along. "Ass kicking" is not something Obama should be talking about. He never had an opponent except 2008, which was in the middle of a meltdown that no Republican could counter.

I guess "boy" is not as potent a politically incorrect insult to a Cuban American as it is to an African American. Obama should be careful, though; there are lots of different kinds of boys out there, and some of them might take offense.

garage mahal, you raise an interesting point. Ann Coulter, Mark Levin, and Rush Limbaugh are at the bleeding edge of showing disrespect toward leftists who do not deserve respect. All three tend to be good at rhetoric and argument in that mission, and they sometimes go overboard.

Who are the analogous figures on the left? I'm not able to judge well on this question, because I'm biased toward the right.

Appalled said... What I found interesting is that the reason for Obama's disrespect of Romney was that he was "not some kind of war hero". I think, deep in Obama's self, there might be a feeling that if someone does not give time to the government, or make a sacrifice to the government, they are not worthy of respect.

I've come to the frightening conclusion that in 2012, Obama thinks that "he's the War Hero". After all, he got Osama and makes those tough drone targeting calls. The Commander in Chief is one bad-ass operator...

PS: Romney's leaving a multi-million dollar payday at Bain to step in to save the Olympics somehow doesn't count for "public service" in Obama's scorecard...

What a punk. Remember when McCain pointed at Barry in a debate and said "That one"? All the perpetually-aggrieved were quick to jump on the 'coded' implications of that address.

And yes, I will add to the chorus of 'if a Republican said it, not only would it be big news, but every other Republican would be expected to denounce, disavow, distance, disassociate, and any other dis that would keep Republicans on the defensive.' There's a giant double-standard, and I'm glad Noonan and Guiliani are speaking out about it. Keep it up.

Another part of the Politico story is Obama saying he doesn't want Mitt Romney to get credit for an economic turnaround that's "just around the corner". He's afraid that's what will happen if Mitt's elected.

"I'm not going to let him win … so that he can take credit when the economy turns around," Obama said, according to an aide.

The only trouble with that is there's more cause and effect than he might realize. The reason the recovery is still just around the corner after four years is there is a huge obstruction called the Obama administration blocking the way around the corner. Once that it removed, of course it's going to look good for whoever comes after. And it won't be a coincidence of timing, there will be a real reason behind it.

rehajmsaid... Obama’s brain trust secretly commissioned pollster David Binder to conduct an internal focus study of the popularity of top Obama campaign surrogates...Wasserman Schultz ranked at the bottom

Most disturbing is they had to commission a study to come to this conclusion.

Prof. Althouse, I have never before called into question your vote for Obama in 2008 in these comments. I held my peace out of respect for your professional experience and knowledge, not to mention that it's your blog. Now I have to speak out. What were you thinking? If all of the President's current behavior is the least bit surprising to you, it exposes a phenomenal lack of judgment in assessing character on your part. All the evidence that Barack Obama would behave as he is now was there for all who were willing to see. He's a thug, a gangster and a Bolshevik to boot.

In the famous words of Inigo Montoya--"You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."

Does anyone truly care what Zero has to say about anything anymore? Beside his sycophants?

As far as any recovery after Zero looses it won't matter...the recovery could be 10 years down the road, and the libtards will proclaim it Zero's recovery.

To libtards: this is called satire. The recovery will commence as soon as Zero gets outta the fucking way.

Ps.

And it's not because Mittens is a financial genius either. It's because Mittens will take the government foot off the throat of American business. Maybe even allow some goddamn energy exploration, and pipelines to be built.(How is that pipeline that Zero said he okayed coming along there Garage? Nothing yet? Wow! That's a surprise)

I was gonna' say "taken out" instead of "out of the way" but I didn't want libtards getting their panties in a wad over a "death threat". Nor do I want to be called a racist for threatening the president.

There were some wonderful reveals in the final paragraphs of the Politico article.

Obama remains frustrated with the bickering by Hill Democrats. During a closed-door meeting in June, he told House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid that Republicans were trying “to delegitimize me,” and implored them to put his own reelection over competing political priorities.

Good luck to Democrats running down ticket from Obama. As in 2010 their fates matter not. Obama's reelection is all that matters to Obama.

Despite Obama’s all-in commitment to the campaign, there have been signs of strain. And people close to him detect, from time to time, a yearning for the high ground....To give Obama a break from the relentless negativity of the campaign, friend and senior adviser Valerie Jarrett quietly set up a salon/dinner for Obama over the summer — which lasted more than two hours, a huge block of presidential time.

Of course, Obama has nothing to do with the negativity of the campaign. That's just one more thing forced upon the long-suffering Obama beset by unkind reality and extremist Republicans.

The party of Ann Coulter, Mark Levin, and Rush Limbaugh is concerned about respect? Hahaha.

We have painfully learned, as these three have, that civility in response to intellectual dishonesty is counterproductive in the defense of liberty. It allows the dishonest to frame the debate.

There comes a time when you just have to identify your opponents as the whitewashed sepulchres (full of the bones of ideas long dead) they are ... then use your language and presence like a whip to drive them out of their ivory-towered temples and into Reality Street.

In other words, use the same tactics as Progressives have used for years, but with one important difference ... as a prerequisite, having fact, principle and reason to back those tactics up, so that our opponents are forced onto Reality Street instead of a mere rabbit trail of ideological fantasy that leads back into their temples.

Sadly, the Riveter is partially right. I'm normally incredibly civil. But, over the last few months and after the McCain/Obama election, it has been made painfully clear to me that being polite but firm does not work.

Back in the eighties I was a leftist activist who tabled on street corners, organized letter-writing campaigns, wrote a newsletter for my affinity group, and showed up at all the demos. Therefore I was not well disposed to Rush Limbaugh.

Then I watched an NPR Frontline documentary on Limbaugh and I was surprised to discover that Limbaugh did not have fangs and green saliva. He was just a guy with different opinions than mine who had problems with women.

Even back then I began to realize that when the left gets all worked up but how terrible a person on the right is, they are likely exaggerating so as to poison the well and discount that person entirely -- without having to answer the points posed by someone like Limbaugh.

If Obama loses, I hope someone takes that infamous "Downfall" clip of Hitler in the bunker and doesn't change a word except the names and maybe "Democratic Party" for "military,"... because the rest of the rant will pretty much fit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y2fl-sHUwrc

If you think Nixon lost it in 1962 ("You don't have Nixon to kick around anymore..."), that was barely teh warm-up act for this guy.

No, sorry. Barney Frank is quick-witted. Debbie Wasserman is an answering machine programmed with a couple of talking points. No matter how many different options you press you'll get only "shredding the safety net".

No, sorry. Barney Frank is quick-witted. Debbie Wasserman is an answering machine programmed with a couple of talking points. No matter how many different options you press you'll get only "shredding the safety net".

I think this is basically right. She has her position because she's willing to say things 90% of American know is bullshit on the off chance it will win the vote of someone in the remaining 10%. This is a skill generally rewarded on the left, which is one reason why their activists are so extreme. They know demonstrating their ability to say and do the most ridiculous things is a path to promotion.

He might get his ass kicked? Is that a literal threat? REmember Palin and her crosshairs being an incitement to violence? Why isn't saying someone might get their ass kicked not a call to violence. THose dems better be careful of their violent rhetoric.

ROFLMAO, but thread, I said.... I've come to the frightening conclusion that in 2012, Obama thinks that "he's the War Hero". After all, he got Osama and makes those tough drone targeting calls. The Commander in Chief is one bad-ass operator...

Stranger than fiction, Obama surrogates have the talking points. There is video of Senator Jeanne Shaheen saying, "remember, this is the Commander in Chief who finally led the mission to bring Osama bin laden to justice".

http://www.blackfive.net/main/

:) Justice? I'm ok with whacking OBL, but I thought it was Cowboy to talk about "wanted, dead or alive", but that was a GOP POTUS.

Boy? You must have said LeRoy.I've been from Maine to SpainAustin to BostonBeen everywhere but the electric chairSeen everything but the windAnd you call me boy?How'd you like to go home & tell your Momma a boy kicked your ass?